Could/Should Mecklenburg move to South Carolina?

[dubone]

this is obviously a little tongue in cheek... but the more i think about some of NC's problems, the more i wonder if it would ever be in Charlotte/Mecklenburg's best interest to just abandon NC and join SC.

It isn't unheardof for this type of thing to occur. I read of a Utah border town that joined Nevada because of the differences in laws.

I'm not sure, though, how possible it is here, as the NC/SC border was set hundred(s) of years ago.

NC has one of the highest tax burdens in the country, but an insufficient percentage of that money taxed in Meck gets spent back in this county, causing localities to tax even more to make up the difference. That is most noticable in the area of road funding, but applies across the board.

The main negative to being a municipality in SC is the annexation laws, but it won't be much longer until charlotte and most of the towns in meck have exhausted their ETJ anyway.

[MZT]

SC wouldn't want us. They've seen us whine too long that the NC Legislature won't return enough money.

And they like to run things on the cheap in SC. One of the few states that will just cut services, when the tax revenue isn't there...

[DigitalSky]

SC wouldn't want us. They've seen us whine too long that the NC Legislature won't return enough money.

And they like to run things on the cheap in SC. One of the few states that will just cut services, when the tax revenue isn't there...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, if no one wants us then we'd be The Great state of Mecklenburg haha

[peaceloveunderstanding]

nah, we should be our own state. Bring along Union County, Gastonia, and Cabbarus and we would have a state larger then Rhode Island

[teshadoh]

I concur - SC, even with all your yankee money - wouldn't want you all

[dubone]

i've also sometimes wondered if western north carolina might join us. basically break off and have the triad, charlotte and points west become West Carolina. We could be capital, then. (sorry, triad).

again, this is all tongue in cheek, as i don't really think any of this would ever happen.

[MZT]

There have been a few proposals in other states that at least reached "talking stage". Lassen County CA has considered joining Nevada. The upper pinensula of Michigan has at times considered forming its own state.

The best examples that actually happened from recent history are the southern tip of Nevada, which was claimed by both Arizona and Nevada in the early 20th century. Arizona had the stronger claim, but Nevada developed "squatters rights" by collecting taxes there. (Plus Arizona did not become a state until 41 years after Nevada did, which didn't help.)

The panhandle of Oklahoma was claimed by both Oklahoma and Texas until a few years after Oklahoma became a state in 1907.

[monsoon]

Can't happen without the US Congress.

[krazeeboi]

It would certainly be interesting, but I don't think SC has the financial means to support a city Charlotte's size.

Plus, all of SC's rural representatives would probably start a water balloon fight in the statehouse the first day Meck's representatives showed up.

[NcSc74]

Why move to SC. Do you think Charlotte is the only city in the world that has to fight to get money from the state. Look lets take a in depth look at this. Don't think Charlotte got all of its claim by its self. It had help. The money that has been deposited in those banks didn't just come from inside the city limits. It was made by hard work and decades of toil by the farmers and factory workers from back east to the mountains. NCNB and First Union/Wachovia gobbled up a lot of small banks that dealt with the small rural farmer. NC was rural state that made its money off of the tobacco farmer, the cotton fields and the textile workers. I am pointing this out because there is no greater foul that forgetting where one comes from and knowing where they are going. As much as I feel for Charlotte and its growing pains I will never neglect the people that made this state what it is today. It has been a long time coming and Charlotte is a shining example of that progress and hard work. The good ole people back east deserve their piece of the pie also. Granted some projects just don't make since but they were bought and paid for long before Charlotte started busting its britches(I can't believe I just typed britches). Anyway, no Meck county shouldn't move just as the Lower Tidewater cities of VA should move to NC.

[Sabaidee]

This can only happen if it is approved by both legislature of both states and perhaps with the citizens of Mecklenburg County voting on it. But it's against Federal law to form a new states from parts of other states, only that required the Act of Congress and those indivdual states, but for a county or city to be ceded, it's up to their repective state legislatures.

[sonofaque86]

Charlotte will eventually grow into SC...Will they call the part that grew in SC Charlotte? Is that possible?

[krazeeboi]

I don't think anything prohibits a "South Charlotte, SC" from incorporating (even though that's practically Fort Mill).

[triadcat]

You know, this post is really sickening. I am appalled by this "Texas mentality". You know Texas wanted to be it's own country. I can't believe that I am even reading this from fellow North Carolinians........I guess you are not very loyal or care about your home state....how sad.

I will say this......Charlotte is to South Carolina as NYC is to New Jersey.

[krazeeboi]

Hmmm...not sure if I totally agree with that statement. Comparitively, I'd say that SC has much less dependence on Charlotte than NJ does on NYC. The closest major SC urban areas to Charlotte, Columbia and Greenville-Spartanburg, function as their own independent centers. I think there is more of a synergy between Charlotte and SC; Charlotte relies on the port of Charleston to get goods into the city, and SC's coastal communities are often frequented by Charlotteans. What do New Yorkers go to New Jersey for, by comparison?

[triadcat]

Hmmm...not sure if I totally agree with that statement. Comparitively, I'd say that SC has much less dependence on Charlotte than NJ does on NYC. The closest major SC urban areas to Charlotte, Columbia and Greenville-Spartanburg, function as their own independent centers. I think there is more of a synergy between Charlotte and SC; Charlotte relies on the port of Charleston to get goods into the city, and SC's coastal communities are often frequented by Charlotteans. What do New Yorkers go to New Jersey for, by comparison?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, people work in Charlotte but live in SC......much like NYC and NJ. That is all I was really saying about the comparison.

[Spartan]

I will say this......Charlotte is to South Carolina as NYC is to New Jersey.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No. New Jersey is nothing like SC, and I resent that comparison. You can say alot of stuff about SC, but comparing it to NJ is beyond insult IMO. York county is no different than Union County except that it happens to be in a different state. I rather like Charlotte, but I wouldn't want it to be a part of my state anymore than you guys seem to want to loose it from yours.

The impacts of such a change would be insane.

edit: Overreacted a bit. Took out a few things.

Hmmm...not sure if I totally agree with that statement. Comparitively, I'd say that SC has much less dependence on Charlotte than NJ does on NYC. The closest major SC urban areas to Charlotte, Columbia and Greenville-Spartanburg, function as their own independent centers. I think there is more of a synergy between Charlotte and SC; Charlotte relies on the port of Charleston to get goods into the city, and SC's coastal communities are often frequented by Charlotteans. What do New Yorkers go to New Jersey for, by comparison?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

SC doesn't need Charlotte. We have a good thing going on in SC among our cities. It is an atmosphere of cooperation. Not the bickering that goes with Raleigh and Charlotte and all of that mess. Adding Charlotte to SC would just polarize the existing SC against Charlotte portion of it.

With Charlotte's sprawl splling over into SC we are bound to become more attatched to them, which is fine. I have no problem with the incorporation of a South Charlotte, SC, or something to that effect, that will control and guide Charlotte's sprawl as it consumes land in this state.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

Charlotte will eventually grow into SC...Will they call the part that grew in SC Charlotte? Is that possible?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

First off, this thread is stupid.

Sono, yes. I think it is possible for there to be a Charlotte SC. Of course, the Charlotte we all know and love today will always be in NC. But Charlotte can grow into SC. Examples... Kansas City Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas. Saint Louis Missouri, and east Saint Louis, Illinois.

I think this can likely happen one day.

[krazeeboi]

Well, people work in Charlotte but live in SC......much like NYC and NJ.

[sonofaque86]

Hmmm...not sure if I totally agree with that statement. Comparitively, I'd say that SC has much less dependence on Charlotte than NJ does on NYC. The closest major SC urban areas to Charlotte, Columbia and Greenville-Spartanburg, function as their own independent centers. I think there is more of a synergy between Charlotte and SC; Charlotte relies on the port of Charleston to get goods into the city, and SC's coastal communities are often frequented by Charlotteans. What do New Yorkers go to New Jersey for, by comparison?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think NY don't even have to go New Jersey, I guess if they want to live in the surburbs?

[krazeeboi]

I don't think NY don't even have to go New Jersey, I guess if they want to live in the surburbs?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I view the entire state of NJ as a giant suburb of New York City. Right now, the only true Charlotte suburbs in SC are Fort Mill and the Tega Cay/Lake Wylie area. In a few years that may change, but that's how it stands for now. Totally different situations.

[ilektronik]

I view the entire state of NJ as a giant suburb of New York City.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that is an overwhelmingly naive and uneducated statement. Now if you said that the lower half of NJ is a suburb of Philly and the upper half is a suburb of NYC, that would be more in line (excluding Camden, Princeton and Atlantic City)

[A2]

I have to agree. I lived in Philly for three years, and can say that people living in South Jersey, do not in any way consider themselves a part of the Big Apple, they are a part of Philly. Going a step further I would say that many in Jersey are offended when it is assumed that they are just a part of either Philly or NYC. Most are content and proud of considering themselves NJ and nothing more. In middle Jersey you have some VERY rural areas and the people their would be offended to be connected to the BIG city, as many of them are farmers and people who have a slower paced life than those living in say Newark or Camden is South Jersey.

Bottom line Jersey is its own entity and stands alone. It is often time just roped into the whole suburb talk because the state is polarized, with respect to popualtion. You have the South (Philly) and the North (NYC), but everything in-between is plain Jersey.

BTW, THEY HAVE AWESOME TOMATOES !!! YUM YUM...

A2

[NcSc74]

Hmmm...not sure if I totally agree with that statement. Comparitively, I'd say that SC has much less dependence on Charlotte than NJ does on NYC. The closest major SC urban areas to Charlotte, Columbia and Greenville-Spartanburg, function as their own independent centers. I think there is more of a synergy between Charlotte and SC; Charlotte relies on the port of Charleston to get goods into the city, and SC's coastal communities are often frequented by Charlotteans. What do New Yorkers go to New Jersey for, by comparison?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well for starters Atlantic City. Also the meadowlands (Giants stadium) is in east rutherford.

[NcSc74]

Comparing Charlotte and SC to NYC and NJ is inherently speaking of more than just jobs, since NYC can offer more than the entire state of NJ in just about every respect (well, maybe not sprawl). As far as Charlotte and SC is concerned, it's nowhere NEAR that serious. As a matter of fact, York County is the only SC county in the Charlotte MSA, and that's probably due in large part to Fort Mill.

LOL @ Spartan. SC certainly has a good thing going on within its borders, but I guess I have a soft spot for Charlotte since the city provided me with my first full-time job after graduation. It's a neat place; not my first choice for a city of residence, but neat nonetheless.

At any rate, I agree with your overall assesment. Charlotte is a great city, but people in the major urban areas of SC can do just about everything folks in Charlotte can do (and in some cases more), except go to a professional sports game (and as far as football in the Carolinas goes right now, all eyes are on Columbia and the beginning of Steve Spurrier's reign at USC). At any rate, that fact may be surprising to a lot of Charlotteans, on and off this board. As a matter of fact, if I were living back in Orangeburg, or in Columbia or Greenville, I'd more than likely go to Atlanta for my "bigger city" experiences instead of Charlotte.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ummm hello The Panthers were picked to win the NFC south and are favorites to to to the super bowl...........